Columns

The New York Times on former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s alleged ties to Russia:

Michael Flynn, President Trump’s former national security adviser, was fired weeks ago, but his ties to Russia keep raising questions this White House won’t answer and dark suspicions it can’t seem to dispel.

Talk about dysfunctional.Last week, New Mexico lawmakers filed suit against Gov. Susana Martinez over budget vetoes that essentially defund the legislative branch and, if not reversed before June 30, push several state schools over a fiscal cliff. Short of any action to the contrary, the funding shortfall will create a crisis of epic proportions.

We used to imitate Bug Bunny’s Brooklyn accent when we watched Looney Tunes at the Saturday afternoon movie show.

Those were the days! My dad would fill up the station wagon and schlepp a carload of us kids from Wildwood Park to downtown Fort Wayne, Ind. After buying our tickets, we would hover around the concession counter.

Would Bobby Keegan buy Milk Duds? Maybe Rusty Mackay would gaze in my direction as he purchased an Almond Joy.

A few days ago, I and all other university presidents in New Mexico were informed that we would receive no state appropriations effective July 1. The many challenges associated with balancing the state budget are well known and, unless revenues increase from some source, additional legally required cuts must be made to balance the budget.

Several years back when I was the New Mexico State Bar President I was speaking to a group of a few hundred lawyers at a conference and I asked the group the question, “How many of you in this room are unethical?” Not a hand went up. Good ... I thought.

The following editorial excerpt was published in the Los Angeles Times on April 19.

Under its last chairman, Democrat Tom Wheeler, the Federal Communications Commission dramatically ramped up its regulation of telecommunications companies, especially those that provide broadband Internet access to the home. The commission adopted rules to preserve net neutrality, limit the collection and use of data about where people go online and subsidize broadband access services, while also slapping conditions on or flat-out opposing mergers between major broadband companies.

It all started with the river. People came to this place because the Gallinas River provided water, and water is life. When the people of this area dug the first ditch, the first acequia, they called it the Acequia Madre, the mother ditch, and that is fitting, because it was through the nurture of the river and the ditches that this community was born.

There is a time when our mother takes care of us, and, as life goes on, there is a time when we must take care of our mother.

A friend made a habit of collecting and saving Sunday bulletins for Our Lady of Sorrows Sunday church services.

Considering the number of years represented in these bulletins, it’s safe to say she was a faithful church member. Most of the bulletins that she passed on to me date back to the 1960s, and all contain a historical photo on the cover and list a slew of activities: wedding banns, a bingo prize of $230, baptisms and special events. The pastor at that time was the Rev. James T. Burke.